With the advent of augmented reality, various combinations of reality images and virtual image elements may be had. However, one of the challenges limiting the applicability of augmented reality is the reality itself. In reality images of rooms in a house to be remodeled, there is already a sofa where one would like to put the new virtual one. There are existing cabinets in the images where one needs to virtualize new cabinets. There are displayed objects where one wants to visualize a different configuration and so forth. In reality images of a store floor, there are products on the shelves where one would like to place other products or where one would like to rearrange the current products. Reality is already “everywhere” when one wants to use augmented reality to bring the subject to a newly designed virtual state.
Thus, there is a need to tidy reality images by removing different reality objects captured in the image that are no longer wanted. There is a related need to be able to perceive accurate measurements of the space to be remodeled, so that the fit of configurations of virtual objects, such as kitchen cabinets, for example, can be properly analyzed.
Computer-aided techniques are known to include Computer-Aided Design or CAD, which relates to software solutions for authoring product design. Similarly, CAE is an acronym for Computer-Aided Engineering, e.g. it relates to software solutions for simulating the physical behavior of a future product. CAM stands for Computer-Aided Manufacturing and typically includes software solutions for defining manufacturing processes and operations.
A number of systems and programs are offered on the market for the design of objects (or parts) or assemblies of objects, forming a product. These CAD systems allow a user to construct and manipulate complex three dimensional or 3D models of objects or assemblies of objects. CAD systems thus provide a representation of modeled objects using edges or lines, in certain cases with faces. Lines or edges may be represented in various manners, e.g. non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). These CAD systems manage parts or assemblies of parts as modeled objects, which are mostly specifications of geometry. Specifically, CAD files contain specifications, from which geometry is generated, which in turn allow for a representation to be generated. Geometry and representation may be stored in a single CAD file or multiple ones. CAD systems include graphic tools for representing the modeled objects to the designers; these tools are dedicated to the display of complex objects; the typical size of a file representing an object in a CAD system being in the range of one Megabyte per part, and an assembly may comprise thousands of parts. A CAD system manages models of objects, which are stored in electronic files.
In computer-aided techniques, the graphical user interface GUI plays an important role as regards the efficiency of the technique. Most of the operations required for manipulating and/or navigating the modeled objects may be performed by the user (e.g. the designer) through the GUI. Especially, the user may create, modify, and delete the modeled objects forming the product, and also explore the product so as to comprehend how modeled objects are interrelated, e.g. via a product structure. Traditionally, these operations are carried out through dedicated menus and icons which are located on the sides of the GUI. Recently, CAD systems allow calling these operations nearby the representation of the product. The designer does not need any more to move the mouse towards menus and icons. Operations are thus available within reach of the mouse. In addition, the operations behave semantically: for a given operation selected by the designer, the CAD system may suggest to the designer, still nearby the mouse, a set of new operations according to the former selected operation that the designer is likely to select.